PSJA ISD Trustee Pleads Guilty in Bribery Scheme

(McALLEN, Texas) – Long-time Pharr San Juan Alamo Independent School District (PSJA-ISD) trustee Raul "Roy" Navarro has pleaded guilty to bribery related to his official position with the school district, United States Attorney Don DeGabrielle announced today. Navarro, 59, of San Juan, Texas, was indicted in June 2007 along with then-PSJA trustees Rogelio "Roy" Rodriguez and Evangelina "Vangie" De Leon and former superintendent Arturo Guajardo and others. He pleaded guilty this afternoon before U.S. District Judge Ricardo Hinojosa.

At his re-arraignment hearing, Navarro admitted he accepted a trip to Las Vegas, Nev., and tickets to a concert there from a contractor engaged in business with the school district in August 2002 in exchange for favorable, official votes and influence regarding PSJA-ISD contracts. PSJA-ISD is a large school district which receives substantial federal funds and is located in Hidalgo County, Texas.

Navarro faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison, without parole, and a maximum fine of $250,000 at a sentencing hearing set for Feb. 19, 2009. Navarro has been permitted to remain free on bond pending his sentencing hearing.

The case was investigated by agents with the McAllen Office of the FBI, the McAllen office of the Criminal Investigations Division of the Internal Revenue Service and the Dallas office of the Department of Education––Office of the Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Larry Eastepp of the Public Corruption Section of the U.S. Attorney”s Office.